Obvious
by Tari Silmarwen
Summary: Valentine's Day one-shot. It's Starfire's first Valentine's Day on Earth, but she's not the only one to discover new things about love. Rob/Star


(A/N)- It's a little late, I know, but hey, it was still fun to write.

I hope everyone had a very happy Valentine's Day. I spent the day eating chocolate and writing fluffy one-shots. Oh and watching Batman Begins on television. Anyway...

Disclaimer: _Obviously_ I don't own the Teen Titans. Because that would mean I wouldn't be writing fanfiction about my OTP for it.

* * *

It was February 14. Otherwise known as the day which Raven would spend locked in her room to avoid all the mushy lovey-dovey sentimentalism that accompanied the holiday that took place on said day. In the weeks up leading up to it the empath had been quite vocal about the fact that if anyone tried to push Valentine's Day spirit on her, it would be their last Valentine's Day on Earth.

Coincidentally it was Starfire's_ first _Valentine's Day on Earth. For days now, she had been incredibly curious about this 'holiday of love', asking persistent questions, which Cyborg and Beast Boy were only too happy to answer.

Robin suspected it had something to do with the fact that they could feed her large amounts of false information and she wouldn't even notice.

He made a mental note to talk to them about that as he finished another explanatory clarification for Starfire on why it was _not_ actually necessary to hunt down anyone you'd ever had the slightest crush on and give them a rose for Valentine's Day.

As the alien princess walked away with a very confused expression on her face, Robin turned back to his work. He was typing up a list of all the villains currently at large and for some odd reason he was certain he'd missed someone. He brought up the profiles in another window and started shifting through them.

Behind him the door hissed open and Beast Boy walked in, hair messed up and sticky with glue, and shedding tiny flakes of glitter as he went. A stack of homemade valentines was in his hands, all ready to be taken to the post office and shipped off to his adoring fans. These he set on the counter before bouncing over to where Robin was sitting at one of the computer consoles. The shape-shifter leaned his elbows on the back of Robin's chair and looked over the Boy Wonder's shoulder.

"So…" he asked mischievously. "Getting someone anything special for Valentine's Day Rob?"

"Not really." Robin replied, not looking up from his typing.

"No?" Beast Boy said, blinking in surprise. "Huh. I would've thought you'd want to do something for Starfire…" he mumbled, gaze wandering bewilderedly.

Robin half-turned to look over his shoulder and give the changeling a confused look. "Why would you think that?"

"You mean it's not obvious?" the shape-shifter asked.

At Robin's blank stare, Beast Boy straightened, gesturing emphatically as he spoke his next sentence.

"Dude, she's like _totally_ into you. I mean, haven't you noticed how she's always hugging you and clinging to you and going to you for information and gets all shy and stuff when you're around?"

"Starfire… hugs everyone…" Robin said, the baffled look on his face indicating he couldn't quite process what the changeling was insinuating.

"Well, yeah, but…" Beast Boy conceded with a shrug. "She hugs you a_ lot_ more than she hugs the rest of us." he said, sitting down on the floor. "She doesn't even need a reason. If she's happy, she hugs you. If she's sad, she hugs you. If it's been five minutes since the last time she's seen you, she hugs you! You'd have to be an idiot not to have noticed." he told Robin. "Not that you're an idiot or anything." he added quickly. "But come on… it's kind of obvious."

Now that he thought about it, Robin _did_ notice how Starfire hugged him and came to him for explanations a lot more than she did with the other Titans. The knowledge made him feel strangely nervous, like his heart rate was speeding up and his sweat glands had activated. Was that heat creeping across his face?

Beast Boy was giving him a weird look, the kind of look that signified he was about to give an astute observation. "It's also kind of obvious how _you're_ always rescuing and protecting her and getting defensive when other guys hit on her."

The heat in his face was a full-on blush now. He turned back around to the computer screen and muttered, "Shouldn't you be mailing those valentines now?"

"Oh yeah!" At the reminder Beast Boy's expression changed and he rushed over to the counter to pick them up. "But seriously dude… obvious."

"Go _away_ Beast Boy." Robin growled.

"I'm going!"

Robin breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the door hiss shut. He stared at the computer for a minute, realized his concentration had been utterly derailed, and sat back in his chair with a groan.

Okay, maybe it _was_ a little obvious that he had something of a crush on the pretty redhead. Did he have to point it out?

The full implications of his brief conversation with the changeling were starting to sink in.

Starfire… got shy? Around him?

Well it _would_ explain all those times she made a hasty exit from room stammering something about needing to water her snarfuls. Whatever those were.

He glanced at the door.

_It __**is**__ her first Valentine's Day…_

-TT-

"I am confused. Why do the earth males feel the need to present the females with the chocolates?"

"'cause they love it, Star." Cyborg explained to her with a smile. "That's just one of the facts of life. Girls _love_ chocolate."

Starfire acknowledged the information with a nod. "I see. And why is it that the chocolates are packaged in a box that does not actually resemble the shape of the appendage it is supposed to be representative of?"

"Uh…" This time he was genuinely stumped. "Actually, I don't know that one." he admitted. "Maybe you should ask Robin when you get a chance."

"Perhaps…" Starfire murmured, distracted look on her face as the mental gears turned inside her head.

This was too much fun. For the past few days he and Beast Boy had quite enjoyed confusing their extraterrestrial friend, if only because it led to annoyance on Robin's part when he had to re-explain things to her, clear up her misunderstandings, and answer several… embarrassing questions she had for him. Yesterday the metallic teen had actually spit out his soda when Starfire brought up the topic of "the French kissing" at lunch the other day, leading to an awkwardly straightforward explanation from Robin and a very disgusted Raven leaving the table early.

It took twenty minutes before he and Beast Boy could stop laughing. And it was _still_ hilarious whenever he thought back to it.

How did you top something like that?

"Hey Cy!"

Cyborg's musings were broken by the sound of Beast Boy's voice. He and Starfire turned to see the young Titan skidding around the corner. He had cleaned up a little but there were still a few clumps of glue in his matted green hair.

"Can you drive me to the post office real quick? I gotta get these mailed out before the day's over." he said.

Starfire's eyes lit up at the sight of the glittery valentines. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "What are those?"

"Those are valentines Starfire." Cyborg told her, smiling. "You're supposed to give them out to people."

Beast Boy chimed in. "Yeah, and if a guy gives you one you're supposed to like tackle him with a hug and kiss him on the cheek."

"Really?" Starfire asked, the look on her face a mix of wonder and puzzlement.

The look on Cyborg's face was one of bafflement, but he played along anyway. "Uh… yeah, yeah. And say he's a sweetheart too."

"Oh… that sounds most delightful!" Starfire gushed. "You do not suppose I will receive any valentines today do you?"

"I think you already got some in the mail. They're on the coffee table in the main room." Beast Boy said, inconspicuously picking at something behind his ear.

Starfire gasped. "I must go and see!" Without any further thought she took to the air and zipped out of the hallway towards OPS.

As soon as she was out of sight, Cyborg turned to the changeling and asked, "What was that about?"

Beast Boy looked carefully from side to side, leaned in, and whispered, "Robin went out and got her a card twenty minutes ago."

A beat.

"You're a genius BB."

"And you know it." he said proudly.

"What are you two doing?" Raven's voice suddenly interrupted. The two boys swung around to face her, innocent grins on their faces.

"Nothin'." Cyborg said evasively.

The icy glare she was giving them indicated she wasn't fooled. "Mmm-hm. Sure." she drolled skeptically.

As she walked past them Beast Boy spoke up.

"Hey, I thought you said you weren't gonna come out of your room until after midnight."

"I ran out of tea."

"Oh."

-TT-

Starfire floated through the doors, and cast her eyes about in search of the valentines Beast Boy had told her of. Her heart gave a great jolt when she spotted Robin heading towards her, for the moment unaware of her presence.

At that moment he looked up.

"Starfire!"

A brief flash of something akin to panic passed over his face. Starfire noticed him hiding something behind his back.

"Uh-I didn't see-that is-I mean-um… hi…" he stammered.

The alien princess set down lightly in front of him. "Hello Robin." she said, smiling shyly. Her insides were bubbling and that strange tingling feeling she got in her chest around him sometimes was back. It was all she could do to keep herself on the ground. "Are you enjoying the Day of Valentines?" she asked nonchalantly, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Yeah… I guess…"

He was fidgeting very nervously. Starfire watched him with a curious gaze. She was beginning to wonder what it was exactly that he was hiding from her, but she didn't want to push him. She tried to think of something else to say, but found herself incredibly tongue-tied in this close proximity to Robin.

A moment of awkward silence passed between them.

Robin coughed.

"Uh… can we… sit down for a minute?" He waved a hand in the direction of the couch. "I have something I want to give you."

Interest piqued, Starfire floated over to the sofa and rested herself comfortably on the seat. She folded her hands in her lap as Robin came around the other end and sat down beside her.

He cleared his throat.

"Since… since it's your first Valentine's Day and all…" he began, still hiding the whatever-it-was behind him. "I thought that, well… I should… get you something… so… here." He finally brought his hands out from behind his back and showed her a simple white card with small glittery hearts and neat little handwriting on it.

Her heat rate skyrocketed as she reached up to take the card. Inside she could see written in Robin's handwriting, "Best wishes, from Robin."

"This is… a Valentine yes?" she asked excitedly, look up from the card.

He nodded. "Yeah." He rubbed the back of his head as he continued, "I had to go to ten different stores to find it… they were all sold out but-"

Starfire wasn't listening. She was thinking back to what Beast Boy had said she was supposed to do upon receiving a valentine. Her heart pounded excitedly and the unbridled joy inside her was so great she couldn't restrain herself. Naturally she did what any reasonable Tamaranian would do.

She pounced on him.

-TT-

Robin stumbled into the hallway, a dazed expression on his face. He didn't even notice it when Cyborg and Beast Boy came and stood in front of him.

"Got a little somethin' on your cheek Rob?" Cyborg asked teasingly.

Still in an overwhelmed stupor, Robin replied with an idiotic, "Huh?", and touched a hand to his cheek uncomprehendingly.

Beast Boy was grinning. "_Obviously_ that's some of Starfire's lipstick, from when she expressed a very heartfelt thank you to him for giving her a valentine."

"Oooh a _valentine_." Cyborg gushed.

A crimson flush spread over Robin's face. He pushed past them mumbling, "Starfire doesn't _wear_ lipstick…" in a tone of voice that said, Shut up, it's not funny, I'm not in love and quit insinuating that I am.

The two waited until Robin was out of earshot.

Then they burst out laughing.

-TT-

Starfire giggled to herself as she floated above the kitchen where Raven was pouring herself some fresh tea.

"Is this not the most wonderful day Raven?" she asked her empathic friend.

"I haven't gotten any creepy Valentine's Day cards from 40-year-old men, no one's ambushed me on the streets for a date, the super villains seem to have taken a vacation, and Beast Boy hasn't paid a single prank on me all day. I'd say this has been a pretty good day for me."

The redhead laughed. Twirling her hair she went over all the things _she'd _done today.

She had sampled the chocolates, confused roses with daffodils, received a valentine from her best friend, kissed Robin, and gotten away with it.

It had been a very enjoyable first Valentine's Day indeed.


End file.
